There again, the Republic of Kenya goes adrift

NAIROBI: We are not yet into the first quarter of the year and already cracks have started appearing on the walls of "Kenya House".

Voices of reason and compromise need to be heard carrying above the din in the political echo chamber.

We saw off 2014 with display of fireworks and a prayer that 2015 would be a year of action and actualisation of the dreams and aspirations expressed in the ruling party Manifesto, in the 2014-15 annual budgetary estimates, foreign policy, agricultural blueprint, transport master plan, devolution, expanded democratic space, industrialisation, manufacturing and infrastructure policy expressions, as well as a host of other well-intentioned drafts.

Clearly, we are already going adrift. Political debates, and even sharp differences, are a sign of a healthy and vigorous political discourse. But the charged and entrenched positions being taken by opponents does not augur well.

Various county government representatives are already preparing for battle in the assemblies, in the corridors of the Judiciary, stadiums, media talk shows, funeral ceremonies and the like.

There are accusations of high-handedness and counter-accusations of shameless and unbridled corruption and misappropriation of funds from the common purse.

There is also the oft-repeated threat of vote of no confidence, culminating in impeachment. It is hard to reconcile these with the wishlists and expectations we had in the wee hours of January 1, 2015.

Governors are on the warpath claiming they were not sufficiently consulted before a massive Sh38 billion outlay was made to purchase various machinery critical to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and kidney ailments, to be distributed to hospitals across the country.

This is no isolated altercation and comes hot on the heels of the governors' demands for a bigger piece of the national cake dubbed "Pesa Mashinani" campaign. Hardly the cozy partnership between National government and the 47 devolved units of governance envisaged by the letter and spirit of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

Deceptively, quiet are the main political parties who have no doubt been burning the midnight oil, strategising how to land the Kajiado Central and Homa Bay seats in the by-elections to replace Cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaiserry and the late senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang respectively.

The voters have a chance to speak through the ballot box.

Two very crucial cogs in society are on the warpath.

Teachers and medics are disaffected and proclaim that we have not seen or heard the last word from them regarding their remuneration and terms of service. Kenya cannot do without proper workforce and we must rededicate our energies to ensuring all workers are satisfied.

Indeed, even the Jubilee administration's most talked about projects, namely the standard gauge railway, electrification and provision of laptop computers for schools have not been spared.

However, the laying out of power lines and the multi-billion shilling railway are on course for now despite teething problems.

There is also disquiet as land grabbers are being outed left right and center. Forget those small-timers that once targeted Nairobi city public toilets and land meant for state lodges, prisons and police stations.

There is a new breed that has trained their sights on school land, effectively disenfranchising toddlers in whose name we are "building the nation".

Also, the explosive matter of squatters, lack of adjudication and elusive title deeds continue to thrust the land issue to the front row of concerns Kenyans must confront.

And as the National Assembly has reconvened, all eyes will be on the legislators to see whether they will lead by example or choose heckling, brawling and uncivil language.